Le jour du vin et des roses

The above quote is from director Blake Edwards, it's taken from the highly recommended commentary track he provides on the DVD for this excellent and compelling piece of work.

Joe is a social drinker but he's social all the time, during one of his arranged parties for a client he meets and falls in love with teetotal Kirsten. They get married and changes start to dominate their marital bliss, he is stressed from work and drinks daily to forget the rigours of the job, she being the loving wife chooses to drink with him to help ease his pain, but soon the joyous days of wine & roses will turn to something dark and terribly turbulent, and this will threaten their own respective sanity.

The film begins with Henry Mancini's academy award winning title theme tune, it's a truly beautiful piece of music that perfectly sets the tone of the film for its first third, it lulls you into this couples love, the bond they share is a truly wonderful thing, it really is all sweetness and light, but then the bottle becomes part of this couples life, they become a threesome from which only dark horrors will form. Containing emotionally shattering scenes that once viewed can not be forgotten (witness Joe's soul destroying search for liquor in a greenhouse), Days Of Wine & Roses still manages not to force feed the viewer a moralistic stance, it lays down the facts of alcoholism and the perils of co-dependency with honest appraisal, we as the viewers are left in no doubt that it is us, and us only, that can make of it as we see fit, the ending especially is a particular poser of which we ourselves seek clarity.

Wonderfully written by the talented hands of J.P. Miller, Days Of Wine And Roses boasts marvellous direction from Blake Edwards and two academy award nominated performances from Jack Lemmon & Lee Remick, it's a testament to all involved that come the finale the viewer feels drained, yet strangely...not at all thirsty for the amber nectar.

Quality drama. 9/10

Started off a little slow but turned into one of the hottest dramas I've ever seen. Remick and Lemmon were sensational as the two drunks who couldn't control their actions after a few drinks. I had to laugh at some of their antics, but the greenhouse scene and especially the pitiful, horrible DT's in the rubber room were sobering indeed. Great picture showing the ravages and uselessness of booze.

Like standing on the edge of a black hole, this movie tantalizes the audience in the beginning, then plunges you into the dark, vast horror of alcoholism.

Jack Lemmon has always been a personal favorite of mine, especially for screwball comedy. But, just like Robin Williams, Lemmon is capable of turning heads w/ his dramatic roles. "The Days of Wine and Roses" is a showcase of that dramatic talent. And along with Lee Remick, this film's performances exceed all expectations. The direction and cinematography utilizes the black and white medium to it's fullest extent, while the script is earthy, human and most of all, believable.

This is a tour de force in the craft of modern filmmaking. And an absolutely essential requirement for aficionados of the dramatic genre. How Remick and Lemmon managed to be past up for the best actor/actress Oscar for their phenomenal performances never ceases to amaze me. Twenty years later, their performances are just as fresh, relevant and just as powerful.

There was no sugarcoated ended. This film sought to depict alcoholism as the demon it truly is, and that sometimes, people just don't get well, despite all the love and support that's offered to them.

If you've never seen it, rent it. Just be sure to rent it in letterbox, to maintain the movies original ratio. A film this beautiful needs to be seen in it's best form. Take someone you love along with you for the ride.

This movie was first a television play performed live and then went on to Hollywood for a slightly glossier production. This is NOT a bad pedigree, as shortly before this the TV movie "Marty" was also brought to Hollywood and became one of the best movies of the 1950s. Both the TV and Hollywood versions are excellent--see either or both if you get the chance.

To me this movie is the antithesis of "The Lost Weekend". "The Lost Weekend" was not a very realistic portrayal of alcoholism in many ways--particularly the ending where the lead suddenly just kicks his addiction and everything is hunky-dory. Get real! ""Days of Wine and Roses instead does not pull punches. It refuses to give in to sentimentality and take the typical Hollywood approach to films. There is no happy ending, there were surprises and heartbreak--much like dealing with alcoholism in real life.

Because it would spoil it to give too much information, I will only briefly discuss the plot. Jack Lemmon is a business man who slowly goes from the "two martini lunch" to alcoholism. His acting was very convincing and gut-wrenching. Equally compelling is his wife, Lee Remick, who puts on the performance of her life as the long-suffering wife who slowly goes from co-dependent to alcoholism herself. I've worked in a chemical dependency program and I've got to tell you, all the excuses and bargains and excesses in the movie were exactly what my clients had said and done as well. It is obvious the writers were doing their homework, as the movie delivers on every level.

UPDATE: Since this review, I was able to see the original teleplay--which, along with a few other teleplays of the era, are available through the Criterion Collection. See this in its original form. While not nearly as glossy, it still packs a huge dramatic punch!

Days of Wine and Roses was originally a live broadcast original drama from Playhouse 90 and starred Cliff Robertson and Piper Laurie. Both they and the drama got great critical reviews, but sad to say they were not considered any kind of box office, so when the film version was done, Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick were cast instead.

I've seen both versions and I'd hate to say which is the better. In terms of casting the part of Joe Clay fits right in with Lemmon's Mr. Average man roles. Imagine his character of C.C. Baxter if instead of taking his doctor's advice and becoming a mensch, gave in and turned to drink. That's what you have in Joe Clay.

Misery does love company, the most miserable drinkers are the solitary ones. Lemmon's job in public relations occasionally calls for him to supply some lady friends for his boss's party. So who could blame him when he mistakes Lee Remick, his boss Jack Albertson's new secretary for one of the hired bimbos.

Naturally the uptight Ms. Remick resents it at first, but she sure does warm up to him and eventually joins him in his boozing. They even marry and have a daughter.

The rest of the film is their joint descent into alcoholism and the effort of one who eventually joins Alcoholics Anonymous to help the other who simply won't be helped.

Charles Bickford repeats his role from the original Playhouse 90 broadcast and is a stern father figure for Remick who can't see why his own sternness may have helped drive her to Lemmon and booze. Look also for a very good performance by Jack Klugman as the counselor from Alcoholics Anonymous.

Remick and Lemmon were both nominated for Best Actress and Actor, but lost to Anne Bancroft and Gregory Peck respectively. Days of Wine and Roses did win an Oscar for Best Song with the title tune for the film. Andy Williams sold quite a few vinyl platters in his day with his version and their are good versions of the song by both Frank Sinatra and Tony Martin.

Days of Wine and Roses is still a powerful drama about the terrible evil of substance abuse. It hasn't lost anything in 46 years, in fact I'm willing to bet we may see a version for the new millenia.